5 Our family 50 years ago

Excerpts from the May 1962 diary of Dorothy Batt Cleverly (1915–1982). The full text of her diary can be found online at Dorothy's Idaho Diaries and is updated daily, exactly 50 years to the day after it was originally written. The family at the time lived on Colorado Avenue in Nampa, Idaho.

Tues, May 1.  I came home from work & went right to bed. Jerry woke me up at 12: & said cows were out & I helped him get them in then here came Ivard, they'd been over to Gails to take Kristines birthday present.

Wed, May 2.  I came home from work & went right to bed. Ivard tended Sis & watered, fixed chicken coop & went over to Gails awhile. I stayed in bed all day, got up at 4:30 & helped Dean fix supper. Ivard left at 8:30 to drive back to Glenns Ferry.

Thurs, May 3.  Ivard didn't come home today. I took Ray to work & Jackie to Primary. I went to bed until time to go to work, didn't sleep much.

Fri, May 4.  Got letter from Kay. I came home from work, have next 2 nites off, and went to bed for awhile. Ivard came home from Glenns Ferry. Dean got supper.

Sat, May 5.  I got up & took Jerry to work & Ray. Ivard came home again today. He went to bed awhile then watched ball game. At 10: I took Dean up to Dr. Daines & had his eyes tested, school nurse said too, he was near sighted in one eye but not bad enough to get glassed. Sewed Jackies jumper & dance costume all afternoon.

Sun, May 6.  I got my sunday school lesson in bed. I got up & took Jerry, Ray & Dean to priesthood. We were about late for sunday school because Gail, Lynda & Kids came. Stayed to Testimony meeting. Got home at 2:30 & got dinner & ate & Jackie & I went to bed & had a nap. We went to church at 7: Primary Programe. Came home & I went to bed until time to go to work. I got dizzy & about passed out twice so I slept in nurses room 3 hrs.

Mon, May 7.  Ivard took Jackie up to special  dance practice. I got up again at 4: & fixed supper. Jerry, Ray & Dean went to Mutual. Jackie went to spend nite with Gail & Ivard came to bed at 8:30, his nite off.

Tues, May 8.  I came home from work & went right to bed. Woke up at 12: when phone rang & Ivard took right off. I went back to bed at 1:45 but never did go to sleep wondering if one of Kids was hurt & thats where Ivard had gone. He came about 3:30, he'd been over helping Gail with plow.

Wed, May 9.  I came home from work and went to bed until noon. I was sick & laid off work for next 3 nites. I got up at 1:30 & went & got Sis from dance practice. I got supper & we ate & Jerry went to work at Dairy queen - Dean & Ray went to do beets, Ray went back to Thorns after. Ivard went to Glenns F. & I went to bed.

Thurs, May 10.  Jackie & I took Ray to work and went to Primary mother day programe. I got a orchid corsage (artificial).

Fri, May 11.  Jerry got Stake M-Men President. We ate & Ray & Dean went to Stake House to Priesthood party.

Sat, May 12.  Got letter & Mother day card from Kay. Got a plant from Kids - delivered. I have awful headache. I went to bed this afternoon I felt so bad. We lost Dale, off playing at neighbors. I went to bed at 8: until time to go to work. felt better when I woke up.

Sun, May 13.  Ivard was home, came home for Mothers day. I got mad at him because he wouldn't go to church. I got up at 11: & showered & Ray came & got us for S.S. had programe & got a plant. Came home & Gail, Lynda & Kids were here. Jerry fixed dinner, had roast ham, potatoe salad, cottage cheese, pork & beans, olives, radishes, onions, punch, icecream & special Mother day cake.

Mon, May 14.  I came home from work & washed some cloths after I took Jackie to dance practice at 9: We got home at 10:15 & Ivard was home from Glenns Ferry. I went to bed. We were about asleep when Gail, Lynda & Kids came. I pertended I was asleep. Dean fixed supper & we ate & Kids went to Mutual.

Tues, May 15.  I finished making Jackies dance costume. At 4:45 I took her up to Ceneral J. H.S. to dance recital rehersal. We left at 9:30 & it was just a little over half done. I was dead. Never had one wink today. I went to work at 11:

Wed, May 16.  I came home & went right to bed. I got up at 3: & fixed supper made a Tamalee pie & Dean made tapioca pudding. Jackie went to Primary with Debbie as her quest. At 7:30 Ivard & I, Dean, Dale & Jackie went to Central to Jackies dance recital it was real good & Jackie & her class did good. Ivard left from there & drove pick-up to Glenns Ferry, alone, at 10:15. I laid off.

Thurs, May 17.  Ray quit Thorn Printing. Gail, Lynda & Kids came awhile & took Ray up to Dairy queen to work. Jerry went to M-Men doings. I went to bed until time to go to work.

Fri, May 18.  We got laid off for Summer, am I ever happy. Ivard was home from Glenns Ferry.

Sat, May 19.  I got books up & wrote Kay a long letter. I ordered some fuel oil, it got so cold.

Sun, May 20.  Gene graduated from High School at Adrian Oregon. I took Ray & Dean to Priesthood & me, Dale & Jackie went to sunday school. Came home & grabbed a sandwich & Jerry & I went to Stake house to S.S. leadership. Came home at 4:30. At 6: We all left for Adrian to Gene's baccalaret & graduation. We gave him presents after & took picture & came home.

Mon, May 21.  Ivard & I - Ray - Dale & Jackie went to Adrian to class nite. Gene got a letter for Track & baseball. Seniors went to Boise after.

Tues, May 22.  Ivard worked on fence all day. At 10: Jackie & I went to relief society then after they had the closeing social, a luncheon. It was sure nice, had card tables to eat on & programe. Jackie, Melissa & Brenda danced 2 numbers. Had Turkey salad, hard rolls, olives, beets, carrot sticks, celery, pickles - punch & desert.

Wed, May 23.  I took Ivard up to go to Glenns Ferry at 8:15. We had a fight over money as usual.

Thurs, May 24.  Rained all nite & never stoped once today. I played Salatair & listened to Scot Carpenter, gone around the earth 3 times. I iorned Jackies cloths & took her to Primary, she didn't feel very good today. Jerry took Ray up to Dairy queen to work at 6:30. Jerry took Dale up to church to Cub Scout Pack meeting.

Fri, May 25.  Kids all passed. Got pr. Earrings & sock from Lyle for Mothers Day. Ivard came from Glenns Ferry at 9:30 and him & Jackie took me to Boise to Dr. Cudmore. I gained 4 lbs. My blood pressure is a bit high.

Sat, May 26.  At 1: we got ready & Ivard & I, Ray, Dean, Dale & Jackie went to Adrian to ball game. Prairie City beat 2 to 1. Adrian is out of pre-tournment now. Talked to Gene a few min.

Sun, May 27.  I was so sick all nite & today. I didn't go to church at all.

Mon, May 28.  Ray took Jerry to work. Dean made waffles & they ate. Ivard got home at 6:30 & went to bed, got up at 9:30 when I took Ray up to Dairy Q to work, started steady. Jerry helped get the big bed out of back room & Dean got it cleaned up ready to paint & Ivard painted walls & ceiling & Dean & I painted 1st coat of wood work. Pained ceiling white & walls rose. Kids back bed room is going to be ours now.

Tues, May 29.  We pained my bed room woodwork 2nd coat, white enamal then Ivard & Dean claend the floor with wood cleaner & after it dried 2 hrs. he put paste wax on & I used the floor polisher & polished it, then we got out cloths put in closet & our bed in room & dressers & got our bed made.

Wed, May 30.  I took Ray up to church at 9: & he went to Idaho City with his sunday school class on party, got home at 11: Jerry didn't have to work at Paint store today but he had to work for Ray from 10: until 6: I spent the morning makeing potatoe salad, barbacue ect. & Ivard got the Kids bed room walls & ceiling painted & their closet, ceiling lite brown & walls darker brown. Gail called & said we'd go to Park but we waited & waited & every one was starved so we ate on lawn. Just got it clared up when they came & we all went to Givin's with them. They ate their lunch in Park there then we all went swimming.

Thurs, May 31.  Dean got invited to a dancing Party at attorney Shillers so I took him up & had a hair cut & Jerry gave him the money to get a pr pants & shirt to wear. Ray went to work at Dairy Q. at 6: Jerry & I took Dean to Party at 7:15 then I took Ivard up to go to G.F. I watched T.V. went & got Dean at 11:30 & went & got Ray at D.Q. at midnite.